Pressure sensitive tape dispenser



Aug. 13, 1957 c. CASTELLI PRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPE DISPENSER.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 10, 1953 INVENTOR (242455 61:75AM

Aug. 13, 1957 c. CASTELLI 2,802,527

' PRESSURE sausmvs TAPE DISPENSER Filed Nov. 10, 1953 I z Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY 0MB 5s 6957540 5W United States Patent 2,802,527 PRESSURE SENSITIVE TAPE DISPENSER Charles Castelli, New Brunswick, N. L, assignor to Johnson & Johnson, a corporation of New Jersey Application November 10, 1953, Serial No. 391,317 11 Claims. (Cl. 164--43) This invention relates to a cutting device for tape and in particular a dispensing container for pressure-sensitive tape for industrial or surgical use.

Experimental investigations looking toward development of improved tape dispensers have been carried out along lines which require the user to pull the tape to tear the desired segment from the main body of tape on a roll. However, this type sufiers from the disadvantage that the finger pressure required for the pulling action produces extreme adherence of the sticky side of the tape to the fingers.

Especially in the case of plastic-backed tapes, tension on the tape produces stretching, undue distortion and sliding of the tape along the cutting surface without severing. In addition to inefficient severing, this undue tension on the tape produces an uneven cut edge, excessive snap-back, and curling of the tape upon itself after severing. The tearing type dispenser also suffers'from the disadvantage that considerable knack or skill is required to sever the tape with maximum ease. Usually the angle with which the tape is pulled with reference to the line of the cutting edge is critical.

In few instances in which attempts have been made to design tape dispensers which do not rely upon tearing tension produced by the consumer, resulting dispensers have suffered from disadvantages such as need for a potentially dangerous sharp severing point or blade.

Accordingly, a primary object of the invention is to design a tape dispenser which does not require application of tearing tension by the consumer.

Another object is to provide a tape cutter sired properties set forth above.

Additional objectsof the invention are to meet further preferred requirement for tape dispensers including provision of a closed container to exclude dirt, easy pick-up of the tape to be withdrawn from the roll for severing, and easy pick-up of the severed portion of tape.

The invention, the manner in which the foregoing objectives are met, and other advantages will be more fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing thetape dispenser of the invention in the open position and the tape being withdrawn.

Fig. 2 is also a perspective view showing the dispenser closed and a severed piece of tape adhering thereto.-

Fig. 3 is an end view as seen from the right end of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end view as seen from the right end of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section taken along plane 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a detailed section taken along a plane perpendicular to the axis and through the center of the dispenser showing the cutter head and cooperating parts.

Fig. 7 is a detailed elevation view of the cutter head. N Fig. 8 is a view of Fig. 7 as seen along plane 8--8 of Fig. 7.

. Fig. 9 is a detailed view to a larger scale of the cutter head portion of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 7 of a modified type cutter head. 2

Fig. 11 is aview of ing, with a portion broken away, side of Fig.1}, H v Fig. 12 is a view of anotherportion of the dispenser having deone portion of the dispenser housasseen from the right "ice 2 housing, also with a portion broken away, as seen from the left side of Fig. 13.

Fig. 13 is an exploded view of the dispenser housing with the various portions of the dispenser shown separated 5 but in their proper relative positions.

Fig. 14 shows a portion of a dispenser having another type slot according to the invention.

Fig. 15 is a view of another type cutter head.

Fig. 16 shows still another type cutter head.

Fig. 17 illustrates another cutter head within the invention concept.

Reference number 10 designates generally a housing having three parts, i. e. a shell portion 11 seen most clearly in Fig. 13, a disk-shaped covering portion 12, and a combination cutter and cover 15. Shell 11 is made up of peripheral portion 16, disk portion 17, cylindrical supporting lug 20 and cylindrical extension lug 21. Peripheral portion 16 is secured integrally to disk portion 17 by molding or gluing, etc. Disk portion 12 has short inwardly extending inner and outer rims 22 and 25, respectively, with a retaining channel or groove 26 therebetween. Disk 12 also has a tubular extension 27 which telescopes with extension 21 of the shell portion of the housing and is of such a diameter that its inner surface 30 is in friction fitting and holding relationship with the outer surface 31 of extension 21. Extensions 27 and 20 are of approximately the same outside diameter so that the external surface 32 and the external surface 27 form a substantially uniform cylindrical surface when the cover and shell portions of the housing are united. Surfaces 27-32 thereby form a bearing type support for tape roll 35, the internal surface 36 of which slides freely on surface 27-32. In the assembled position the outer extremities of peripheral wall 16 are seated in groove 26, and tape spool is confined between shoulder 37 on extension 27 and shoulder 40 on extension 20. Extension 21 may, if desired, be provided with retaining lugs, not shown, or other means to secure cover 12 irremovably to shell 11.

Shell 11 has a rear tape-holding platform and a front tape-holding platform 46. At 47 is shown a recess. Between front platform 46 and recess 47 is a narrow slot 50. Shell 11 is also provided with a port 51 extending between rear platform 45 and a point near which cutter 15 is hinged to provide access to the interior of the housing to permit finger removal of the tape end from the roll.

Cover and cutter 15 is secured hingedly to housing 10 by means of lug 41 on shell 11 and lug 42 on cover 12. The cutter is formed by an arm portion 52 and a guillotine type cutter head 55 integrally secured to its end. Head 55 is generally planar in shape and extends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the length of arm 52. Arm 52 is also provided with downwardly extending ears or tabs 56. When cover 15 is in the closed position ears 56 substantially enclose recess 47, and cutting head 55 extends into slot as shown in Fig. 2. Hence, cutter head is of size that will fit into slot 50 with minimum contact with the sides of the slot, and cars 56 are of size and shape to conform with recess 47.

If desired, slot 50 may extend into the outer rim of disk portions 12 and 17, as shown at 48 of Fig. 14, thereby to accommodate a correspondingly wider cutter head 55. The extended slot has the advantage of providing sloping surfaces 49 which may serve to assist in guiding cutter head 55 into slot 50 by contact of outermost portions of the head with said surfaces.

To operate the dispenser, the desired length of tape 57 is pulled by hand from the internally disposed roll with the cutter-cover 15 in its raised position as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. It is then bent downwardly over and in firm contact with rear platform 45 and front platform 46 as shown in Fig. 6, thereby covering slot 50. Cutter 15 is lowered and pressed inwardly by finger pressure until cutter head 55 is seated in slot 50. The movement of the cutter into the slot effects severing of the tape which is then removed from its position adhering to front platform 46. When another segment of tape is to be severed, cover 15 is again raised by grasping ears 56 with the fingers. The tape is then readily lifted from rear platform 45 by inserting the fingers in recess 47.

Cutter head 55 in shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 with corrugations 69 which serve to reinforce this element. If desired, an uncorrugated or smooth-surfaced cutter head 61, shown in Fig. 10, may be provided.

Referring to Fig. 10 for convenience, the plane of the tape as the severing action begins may be represented by broken line C, that is, with the edges of the tape just contacting the inside serrated edge 62 of the cutter head. These points of contact are designated by the letter A. It is noted that the line which is the locus of the teeth points of serrated edge 62 is shown in Fig. 10 as a broken line and designated by the letter D.. An important characteristic of the invention cutter head is that line D is disposed at an angle to line C. In other words, the locus line for the points of the cutting teeth is at an angle, preferably a steep angle, with the tape at the tape edge where severing is initiated. The larger the angle (which is designated by B), the greater will be the ease of severing the tape.

If longer cutter heads are required by reason of larger angles B and wider tapes 57, it may be advisable to employ a cutter head 55 which is slightly arcuate in shape so as to be capable of'insertion into slot 50 with minimum contact with the sides of the slot;

Outstanding advantages of the inventon concept as compared with prior art dispensers are realized if, as shown in Figs. 7 and 10, there are provided serrated putting edges having angles B at both external edges of the tape.

acceptable facility of tape severing, angles B should be at least about 10; Cloth-backed tapes are generally more diflicult to sever than cellophane or plastic-backed tapes, and hence for cloth-backed tapes angles B at least about 45 are preferred.

The cutter heads having V-notch type recess, shown-in Figs. and 10, have been found to be quite suitable. However, the invention is not limited to this specific structure. For instance, a cutter head having an ovalshaped serrated recess, corrugated or uncorrugated, may be utilized. With the oval recess, the principles enunciated previously apply. That is, the angle B made at point A, which is the point of contact between the tape edge and the serrated edge, should be as aforesaid. The tangent to the serrated edge at any point between its extremities is shown in Fig. by the letter D. This line will intersect lines C (which are parallel to the tape and represent the position of the tape at various points during severing operation) at points A. The angle between lines C and D will be B. Angle B will, of course, change as the intersecting point A approaches the apex of the recess, that is, as severing of the tape nears completion. With the oval type recess shown in Fig. 15 angle B will decrease, and at the very apex B will be equal to Zero. However, this circumstance will not generally seriously interfere with the ease of tape severing since at the apex the tape is very nearly completely severed anyway, and hence very little force will be required to cut the last few strands of the tape backing, assuming that the tape being severed is cloth-backed. Whether it be an oval-shaped serrated recess or a V- notch type, eifective tape severing will generally be realized if between lines D and C there is a substantial angle B in the region between the edges ofthe tape and points just short of the" apex of the serrated recess. -In other words, there should be such an angle for substantially the entire width of the tape.

Other forms of tape cutting heads having serrated cutting surfaces disposed at an angle to the plane of the tape are shown in Figs. 16 and 17. The arrows indicate the direction of movement of the cutter into the slot when the tape is being cut. This form of cutter may be found satisfactory particularly for use with cellophane or plasticbacked tapes as distinguished from cloth-backed tape.

The shape of the teeth'is preferably as shown. That is, each tooth has one edge which is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the tape, the other edge being cut in at anangle to the tape. This construction embodies an important concept of the invention, namely, cutting the tape segament by segment as the cutter head is pressed into the slot, while minimizing any tendency to move the tape away from the line of serrations.

It will be apparent to those skilled inthe art that there are many modifications and variationswithin the scopeof the invention. For example, housing 10 may be divided midway between the flat ends 17 and 12, in which case the peripheral section 15 wouldbe divided and half .secured. to plate 317:.and'half integrally secured .to plate 12. Accordingly, the invention-is not intended to be limited to the-foregoing specific description.

What is claimed is:

l. A dispenser for a roll of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprising a pair of opposed parallel disc portions spaced to accommodate a roll of such tape, means for rotatably supporting the roll between the disc portions, a peripheral portion connecting said disc portions, said peripheral portion being provided with an'opening-for access to said tape roll, whereby a housing is provided,

when the access opening is closed, for fully enclosing the tape roll in a sanitary condition, a slot in said housing disposed transversely to thelength of the tape as it is withdrawn from said housing, a withdrawn tape being adapted tooverlie and be adjacent said slot in position to be cut, a cover hingedly connected to said housing for opening and closing said access opening, said cover having a cutting head with a serrated edge afiixed thereto and adapted to slide into said slot, said serrated edge extending at least the width of said tape and being disposed at an angle to the plane of said tape when in cutting position for substantially the entire width of said tape.

2. A dispenser for a roll of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprising a pair of opposed parallel disc portions spaced to accommodate a roll of such tape, means for rotatably supporting the roll between the disc portions, a peripheral portion connecting said disc portions, said peripheral portion being provided with'an opening for access to said tape roll, whereby a housing is provided, when the access opening is closed, for fully enclosing the tape roll in a sanitary condition, a slot in said housing disposed transversely to the length of the tapeas it is withdrawn from saidhousing, the withdrawn tape being adapted to overlie and be adjacent said slot in position to be cut, a cover hingedly connected to said housing for opening and .closing saidaccess opening, said cover having a cutting head with a serrated edge affixed thereto and adapted to slide into said. slot, saidserrated edge extending at least the width of said tape and being disposed at an angle to the plane of said tape when in cuttingposition for substantially the entire width of said tape, and being so formed asto contact said tape initially at the tapeedge.

3. A dispenser for a roll of pressure-sensitive adhesive, tape comprising a pair of opposed parallel. disc portions spaced to accommodate a roll of such tape, means for rotatably supporting the roll between the disc portions, a peripheral portion connecting said disc portions, said peripheral portion being provided with an opening for access to said tape roll, whereby a housing is provided, when the access opening is closed, for fully enclosing the tape roll in a sanitary condition, a slot in said housing disposed transversely to the length of the tape as it is withdrawn from said housing, the withdrawn tape being adapted to overlie and be adjacent said slot in position to be cut, front and rear tape-holding platforms disposed on opposite sides of said slot and adapted to secure said tape when in position to be cut, a recess in said housing between said platforms adapted to permit fingergrasping of said tape, a cover hingedly connected to said housing for opening and closing said access opening, said cover having a substantially planar cutting head with a V-shaped recess having serrated edges affixed thereto and adapted to slide into said slot, said serrated edge extending at least the width of said tape.

, said cover, a narrow slot 4. A dispenser for a roll of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprising a pair of opposed parallel disc portions spaced to accommodate a roll of such tape, means for rotatably supporting the roll between the disc portions, a peripheral portion connecting said disc portions, said peripheral portion being provided with an opening for access to said tape roll, whereby a housing is provided, when the access opening is closed, for fully enclosing the tape roll in a sanitary condition, a cover hingedly connected to said housing at one end of said opening, a front tape-holding platform on said housing on the side of said opening opposite said hinge, a rear tape-holding platform on said housing substantially removed from said front platform and between said opening and said front platform, a recess in said housing between said platforms adapted to permit finger-grasping of said tape, said cover being of size and shape to enclose substantially completely said opening, said rear platform and said recess, said cover having at its extremity an integral substantially planar cutting head disposed generally perpendicularly to said cover, a narrow slot in said housing having length at least the width of said tape disposed transversely to the length of the tape as it is withdrawn from said housing, the withdrawn tape being adapted to overlie and be adja' cent said slot and front and rear platforms in position to be cut, said slot being disposed between said front platform and said recess and being long enough to permit sliding of said cutting head therein, said cutting head being adapted to slide into said slot, said cutting head having a serrated least the width of said tape, said serrated edge being at an angle to said tape in cutting position for substantially the entire width of the tape, and being so formed as to contact said tape initially at the tape edge.

5. A dispenser for a roll of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprising a pair of opposed parallel disc portions spaced to accommodate a roll of such tape, means for rotatably supporting the roll between the disc portions, a peripheral portion connecting said disc portions, said peripheral portion being provided with an opening for access to said tape roll, whereby a housing is provided, when the access opening is closed, for fully enclosing the tape roll in a sanitary condition, a cover hingedly connected to said housing at one end of said opening, a front tape-holding platform on said housing on the side of said opening opposite said hinge, a rear tape-holding platform on said housing substantially removed from said front platform and between said opening and said front platform, a recess in said housing between said platforms adapted to permit finger-grasping of said tape, said cover being of size and shape to enclose substantially completely said opening, said rear platform and said recess, said cover having at its extremity an integral substantially planar cutting head disposed generally perpendicularly to edge, said serrations extending for at at least the width of said tape disposed transversely to the length of the tape as it is withdrawn from said housing, the withdrawn tape being adapted to overlie and be adjacent said slot and front and rear platforms in position to be cut, said slot being-disposed between said front platform and said recess and being long enough to permit sliding of said cutting head therein, said cutting head being adapted to slide into said slot, said cutting head having a recess with a serrated edge, one edge of each tooth of the serrations being perpendicular to the tape, said serrations extending for at least the width of said tape, said serrated edge being at an angle to said tape in cutting position for substantially the entire width of the tape.

6. A tape cutter for pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprising a tape supporting structure and a slot therein having length at least the width of the tape to be severed, the slot being disposed transversely to the length of the tape and the tape being adapted to overlie said slot, a corrugated plate having a serrated edge adjacent the tape adapted to slide into said slot and thereby sever said tape, said corrugations being substantially perpendicular to the tape in cutting position, said serrated edge and said corrugations extending at least the width of said tape, and said serrated edge being disposed at an angle to the plane of said tape when in cutting position for substantially the entire width of said tape.

7. A cutter according to claim 6 in which said serrated edge is in the form of a V-shaped recess, said serrated edge being at an angle of at least 10 to said tape in cutting position for substantially the entire width of the tape.

8. A tape cutter according to claim 7 in which one edge of each tooth of the serrations is substantially perpendicular to the tape in cutting position.

9. A tape dispenser according to claim 1 in which said cutting head has a V-shaped recess with serrated edges which are at an angle of at least 10 to said tape in cutting position for substantially the entire width of the tape.

10. A tape dispenser according to claim 5 in which said recess is V-shaped and said serrated edge is at an angle of at least 45 to said tape in cutting position for substantially the entire width of the tape.

11. A dispenser for a roll of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape comprising a pair of opposed parallel disc portions spaced to accommodate a roll of such tape, means for rotatably supporting the roll between the disc portions, a peripheral portion being provided with an opening for access to said tape roll, whereby a housing is provided, when the access opening is closed, for fully enclosing the tape roll in a sanitary condition, a slot in said housing disposed transversely to the length of the tape asit is withdrawn from said housing, the withdrawn tape being adapted to overlie and be adjacent said slot in position to be cut, a cover hingedly connected to said housing for opening and closing said access opening, said cover having a cutting head with a serrated edge aflixed thereto and adapted to slide into said slot, one edge of each tooth of the serrations being perpendicular to the tape, said serrated edge extending at least the width of said tape and being disposed at an angle to the plane of said tape when in cutting position for substantially the entire width of said tape.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 558,011 Chase Apr. 7, 1896 1,633,144 Uttz June 21, 1927 1,675,196 Uttz June 26, 1928 1,849,760 Hermann Mar. 15, 1932 2,284,307 Sperry May 26, 1942 2,452,299 Gould Oct. 26, 1948 2,593,291 Garik Apr. 15, 1952 in said housing having length. 

